ABC Unified School District
District Digest November/December 2017 - Volume VII - No 2
A Message from the Superintendent - Dr. Mary Sieu Follow me on Twitter: @abcsupt
Dr. Mary Sieu Honored as the 2017 State ACSA Superintendent of the Year
In This Issue News From Our Schools and Around The District . . . . . . . . 2-5 Community Involvement . . . . . 6-10
As we approach the ending of the 2017 year, it is the perfect time to pause and reflect on who we are and to reaffirm our appreciation for one another. On November 3, 2017, I was honored to receive the State ACSA Superintendent of the Year Award at the President’s Award Dinner held at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose. My son, daughter-in-law, sister, brother-in-law, and District staff attended to celebrate with me this distinguished recognition. The District staff who joined me included Dr. Crechena Wise, Principal-Gahr HS; Dr. Larry Natividad, Assistant Principal-Gahr HS; Valencia Mayfield, Assistant Superintendent-Academic Services; Dr. Gina Zietlow, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources; Dr. Rhonda Buss, Director of Secondary Schools; Christine Balbuena, Principal-Juarez ES; and Eveline Huh, Principal-Willow ES. It was heartwarming to share this moment with my family members and District staff since they have been instrumental in my journey in ABCUSD. It has been a deeply humbling experience to receive this recognition as the State ACSA Superintendent of the Year. I remain forever grateful to be a part of this dynamic school district since 1989 and the extraordinary talent and commitment of the people I’m privileged to work with. This includes the passionate Board of Education, administrators, teachers, support staff, parents, and community members. Most importantly, my greatest joy is seeing the growth and development of our students who make us proud every day in every classroom throughout the District. As we approach a new year together, let’s redouble our supDr. Larry Natividad, Assistant Principal-Gahr HS; Valencia Mayfield, Assistant Superintendentport for one another and look Academic Services; Dr. Gina Zietlow, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources; forward with enthusiasm and Dr. Mary Sieu, Superintendent; Dr. Rhonda Buss, Director of Secondary Schools; Christine Balbuena, optimism. Your time and parPrincipal-Juarez ES; Eveline Huh, Principal-Willow ES; and Dr. Crechena Wise, Principal-Gahr HS ticipation in our schools help us continuously improve. As John Maxwell said, “Giving is the highest level of living.” I look forward to seeing you at the many holiday events in our schools and community. I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season! »
ABC Unified School District 16700 Norwalk Blvd. Cerritos, CA 90703 Phone: 562.926.5566 Fax: 562.404.1092 Web: www.abcusd.k12.ca.us
News From Our Schools and Around The District Gahr HS Marching Band On October 5, students in the Gahr HS Marching Band starred in an advertisement for the company American Greetings. Our students acted professionally and did a great job representing Gahr HS and ABCUSD! Âť
Gahr HS Marching Gladiators Congratulations to the Gahr HS Marching Gladiators on an incredible season performing their 2017 field show production, "CONSPIRACY THEORY." After earning 1st Place last week in the Division 5A Semi-Finals, Gahr HS competed last weekend at the California State Band Championship Finals. Gahr HS won 1st Place in the Division 5A Finals with a score of 93.600, and won all the caption awards: High Music Performance, High Visual Performance, High Music Effect, High Visual Effect, High Percussion, and High Auxiliary! Drum major and trombonist Jan Carlo Balagtas earned the Outstanding Soloist Award and a $500 scholarship! Gahr HS was among 12 schools who advanced to the evening Open Class Finals and the Gahr Marching Gladiators finished the season winning 1st Place with a score of 95.600 and were once again crowned the California State Band Champions!! This marks the fourth consecutive year that Gahr HS has had the honor of being named the California State Band Champion. This achievement is the result of the hard work and collective efforts of our students, instructors, alumni, parents, and community. Thank you Music Director Darren Loney and the incredible instructional staff whose daily efforts bring out the best in each of our student performers. This simply would not be possible without the dedication of the Gahr Band Boosters and their commitment to our students. Âť
Gahr HS Marching Gladiators named the California State Band Champions for the fourth consecutive year!
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Attendance Awareness Month Child Welfare and Attendance Supervisor Tim Catlin, District Social Worker Tina Porter, and Coordinator of Pupil Support Service and Attendance Kendall Fujioka visited schools in September to promote Attendance Awareness Month. They used this Fifth Annual Attendance Awareness Month to encourage schools and communities to remember that engagement matters for attendance. Under this year’s theme, Engagement = Attendance, we are emphasizing the important role everyone can play in creating a welcoming and engaging school environment that motivates students and families to come to school every day. Since 2013, Attendance Awareness Month has engaged hundreds of schools and communities. Over 60 national District Social Worker Tina Porter and organizations are now Coordinator of Pupil Support Service working together to and Attendance Kendall Fujioka bring awareness to the participated in Attendance importance of positive Awareness Month. school attendance. »
ABC Unified School District Honored with 2017 Golden Bell Award ABC Unified School District has received official notification that Bragg ES has been selected as a Golden Bell Award Winner for 2017. The Golden Bell Award is sponsored by the California School Boards Association (CSBA). Bragg ES’s “Building Bridges Program” is a school-wide initiative designed to create a positive, safe learning climate at Bragg ES by providing a complete system of support. Four pillars build a foundation to create this positive change. They include 1) Restructuring their playground and recess time around PlayWorks; 2) School-wide implementation of the PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Support) Program; 3) Hiring a PlayWorks Coach and Wellness Coordinator; and 4) Providing training and professional development to support these programs. These programs have been in place for over five years at Bragg ES and have been a model for other schools in the District. The recipients of the 2017 Golden Bell Awards were honored on Thursday, November 30 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm at the San Diego Marriott Hotel. This is the District’s 16th Golden Bell Award since 2002. According to Superintendent Dr. Mary Sieu, “Being recognized for an exemplary program by CSBA is always a distinct honor for our school community in ABC. We congratulate the entire Bragg ES school community for this outstanding achievement.” »
Red Ribbon Week Activities at Tracy High School
The Wellness Team at Tracy High School led students in a variety of Red Ribbon Week activities beginning on Tuesday, October 24. Mental Health providers Lisa Paer and Dominique Perez; Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPSC Intern) Cheyenne Smith; Masters in Social Work Intern (PPSC Intern) Mia Reyes; and Mo Kim, Counseling Intern worked together to organize and host the activities for the students. »
Principal Annette Janeway and Bragg ES staff honored by the California School Boards Association for winning the 2017 Golden Bell Award in San Diego.
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News From Our Schools and Around The District Wittmann ES On September 19, Wittmann ES hosted their first Constitution Day. A panel of guest speakers consisting of local government officials, lawyers, and law enforcement spoke to 600 students about the U.S. Constitution. The guest speakers emphasized the importance of "civic duty" as well as how the U.S. Constitution relates to our everyday lives. The speakers also discussed their diverse backgrounds and the various career pathways to serve in their positions. All of the speakers encouraged students to be active participants in their community and to work hard in school, so that one day they can also help others by upholding and defending the U.S. Constitution. The participants included: Vice President of the Board of Education Mrs. Soo Yoo; Cerritos City Council Member Mr. Jim Edwards; Superior Court Judge Ms. Laura Walton; Federal Criminal Attorney Mr. Yasin Almadani; U.S. Marshal: Mr. Luke Sutanto; Alcohol Beverage Control Enforcement Captain Bradley Beach; and Legal Aid Foundation Attorney Mrs. Hadar Swerdlow. Âť
Board Member Olympia Chen Retires
ABC Management Association presents retiring Board Member Olympia Chen with books donated to all the schools on her behalf.
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Partnership with Administrator and Labor (PAL) Conference On Thursday, October 26, we held our Annual Partnership with Administration and Labor (PAL) Conference at the Holiday Inn in Buena Park with over 350 participants. All principals, site union representatives, and district leaders with their site union representatives were part of the PAL Conference. This year, our breakout sessions included school teams sharing about their work with integrating technology, having “fierce conversations” based on Scott’s book, and structures at their schools to collaborate effectively. District teams also provided workshops on collaborative partnerships in Academic Services and Human Resources. Participants from the West Coast Labor Management (WCLM) also attended the PAL Conference. »
Partnership with Administrator and Labor (PAL) 2 Event
The Partnership with Administrator and Labor (PAL) 2 Event held on Tuesday, October 10, 2017, at the Buena Park Holiday Inn was powerful and moving for all who attended. The focus for this event was Trauma Informed Practices for Schools (TIPS) and was provided by Kimbery Faulkner-Camacho and Jason Gutierrez, Senior Program Specialists from the Foster Youth Services Division of the LA County Office of Education (LACOE). The workshop helped our frontline staff to understand how trauma impacts behavior and learning, and shared simple techniques and tools to create trauma informed learning environments to best care for and interact with students or adults who come into our schools and departments who have experienced some type of social or emotional trauma. The success of this event is due to the hard work of the PAL 2 Committee: Rebecca Michel-Macias, CSEA President; Cheri Correia, School Services; Dorothy Garcia, Haskell Middle School; Martha Gardea, Gahr High School; Lourdes Johnson, Fiscal Services; Vanessa Weseman, Human Resources; Polette Zepeda, Hawaiian Elementary; and Dr. Gina Zietlow, Assistant Superintendent-Human Resources. »
Fedde MS Fedde MS has been selected as a Redesignated School to Watch for the next three years (2018-2020). Fedde MS submitted an application last month and went through their Validation Visit in October. They will be honored in Sacramento in March 2018 as well as in Washington, DC as a National Model Middle School in late June 2018. Congratulations to the entire Fedde MS community! »
Visit our website for ABC USD schools' addresses, contact info, enrollment boundaries and more!
www.abcusd.k12.ca.us
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Community Involvement Principal for a Day
Niemes ES Principal Meg Jimenez Meredith O’Connor Celebrity & Youth Advocate CG Talent, United Nations, Metamorphosis, & Teen Nick
ABC Adult School Principal Dr. PaoLing Guo Rick Miranda Vice President of Academic Affairs/Assistant Superintendent Cerritos Community College
Carver ES Principal Debbie Berlyn Captain Joseph B. Nunez Cerritos Sheriff Station
Nixon ES Principal Melinda Ortiz Henry Lozano Former Deputy Assistant to the President of the United States The White House
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Community Involvement Principal for a Day (Continued)
Cerritos ES Principal Kevin Amburgey Rubab Ali Accounting Manager Toolots, Inc.
Furgeson ES Principal Alex Gutierrez Gloria Villegas District Manager Michael’s Arts & Crafts
Melbourne ES Principal Karina Martir Dandy De Paula Program Director of Covenant Kids Preschool New Hope Community Church
Whitney HS Principal John Briquelet Sherre Titus Recreation Services Superintendent City of Cerritos
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Community Involvement Principal for a Day (Continued)
Bragg ES Principal Annette Janeway Gigi Manzanilla Regional Vice President Primerica
Haskell MS Principal Camille Lewis Serina Yuan Education Foundation ABC Unified School District
Cerritos HS Principal Patrick Walker Jignesh Mehta Owner/Pharmacist VM Pharmacy
Carmenita MS Principal Robert Castillo Donald Lee Vice President Young Systems Corp.
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Community Involvement Principal for a Day (Continued)
Gahr HS Principal Dr. Crechena Wise Bill Andreozzi Chief Technology Officer Toolots, Inc.
Valencia Mayfield, Dr. Mary Sieu, Toan Nguyen, Dr. Gina Zietlow, Dr. Rhonda Bus, and Maynard Law ABC Unified School District Staff and ABC Board Member
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Community Involvement Sister School District Program with the City of Kakamigahara On November 2, we welcomed over 30 Japanese middle school students from the City of Kakamigahara, Japan. This is part of our Sister School-District agreement with the City of Kakamigahara, Japan that has been in effect since 2000. The guest Japanese students were paired with their host families from throughout the District. The guest students performed a dance during the Welcome Orientation at the District Office. »
The Japanese middle school students from Kakamigahara, Japan performed the traditional harvest dance in the Welcoming Reception. Arigato!
Alliance Summit 2017 Families In Schools (FIS) is pleased to announce the awardees of the 6th Annual Excellence in Parent Engagement Award. This award recognizes the extraordinary achievements of community leaders in successfully promoting and implementing policies or best practices that facilitate opportunities for underserved families to guide, monitor, and support their children’s education. Award Recipients included Hugo Enciso, Parent, Niemes ES; Kirk Suwantantula, Parent, Bragg ES; Dion Ortega, Parent, Carver ES; Veronica Hernandez, Parent Liaison, ABC Unified School District; Isabel Almeida, Teacher, Niemes ES; and Meg Jimenez, Principal, Niemes ES. »
6th Annual Excellence in Parent Engagement Award
2nd Annual District College Fair We held our 2nd Annual District College Fair on Saturday, October 21 hosted at Whitney HS. Thousands of high school students and their families from throughout the District attended to hear from over 93 colleges and universities at the College Fair. Breakout sessions were also offered regarding strategies for writing a competitive college application, financial aid resources, and how to use Naviance. Director of Secondary Schools Dr. Rhonda Buss, Coordinator, Career Technical Education/School & Community Partnerships Sasha Leonardo, and the secondary school administrators are commended for coordinating the District College Fair each year. »
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Send your children to one of the top school districts in California! ABCUSD’s Award Winning Magnet Schools -
ABC Unified School District
Distinctive education for all ages: Aloha Elementary School - Health Medical Academy Burbank Elementary School - Visual, Performing and Folk Arts Magnet Carver Elementary School - Academy of Communication Arts Elliott Elementary School - World Navigators Furgeson Elementary - Academy of Communications & Technology Leal Elementary School - Visual and Performing Arts Niemes Elementary School - Environmental Science & Technology Nixon Elementary School - Academy of Multimedia Arts Palms Elementary School - Accelerated Learning Academy Stowers Elementary School - School of International Studies Fedde Middle School - International Studies Academy Haskell Middle School - Science, Technology, Engineering, Math Academy (STEM) Ross Middle School - Academy of Creative and Media Arts Tetzlaff Middle School - Accelerated Learning Academy Artesia High School - Accelerated Learning Academy Gahr High School - STEAM Magnet High School (STEM plus Arts)
Mark your You are in calendar! ABCUSD MagnetvSicted to h
Recruitme ools Thursda n t F y air! ABCUSD D , February 1, 2 istrict Of fi 018 from Learn more ce • 16700 6 to 8 pm about ABC Nor walk B USD’s mag Meet repre lv d., C ne s entatives fr
om each s
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erritos, CA 9
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL THE DISTRICT MAGNET SCHOOL OFFICE: (562) 926-5566 ext. 21075 www.abcusdmagnetschools.com
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Board Members Chris Apodaca - President Soo Yoo - Vice President Leticia Mendoza - Clerk Olympia Chen - Member Lynda Johnson - Member Maynard Law - Member Sophia Tse - Member
Superintendent Dr. Mary Sieu
ABC Unified School District's District Digest is published bimonthly by the Superintendent's Office. Call 562-926-5566 to join the District's email list.